Lawsuit filed against NM GOP for voter intimidation
From Ballotpedia
October 22, 2008
ACORN sent out a press release to address a lawsuit against the New Mexico Republican Party, which accuses the GOP of violating the Voting Rights Act. The lawsuit was filed after reports surfaced of minority voters being intimidated by GOP officials.[1]
Lawsuit roots
The lawsuit was filed in U.S. Federal District Court, and charges the GOP with criminal violations of the VRA. The roots of the lawsuit came from an October 16 press conference, led by State Representative Justine Fox-Young. At the conference she claimed to have proof of illegal voting in the June 2008 Democratic primary. The GOP then distributed copies of the voter registration forms, containing personal information, and thereby breaking state privacy laws.[1]
Intimidation
ACORN followed up with 9 of the 10 voters who were said to have voted illegally, and proved them to be legitimate. On October 22, a private investigator visited with at least three of the voters, telling one of them he worked for Pat Rogers, a GOP attorney.
The press release states, "According to the VRA, it is a criminal offense to willfully intimidate or interfere with a person attempting to vote or to conspire to intimidate someone trying to vote. In ACORN's conversations with all of the voters visited by the investigator, all expressed fear at his aggressive, angry, and intrusive behavior."[1]
Voting rights group Project Vote has also called for an investigation of voter intimidation and suppression.[2]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Huffington Post "New Mexico GOP Sued For Voter Intimidation," Oct 27, 2008
- ↑ Talking Points Memo "Voting-Rights Group Calls For Federal Probe Of New Mexico Voter Intimidation," Oct 24, 2008
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